Rotary internal-combustion engine.



J. L. STRICKLAND. ROTARY INTERNAL GOMBUSTION BNGIMNB. APPLIOATION FILED 00T.l9, 1908. RENEWBD NOV. 15,1911

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

BY' i ATT Y Patented Mar. 121, 1912,

J. L. STRICKLAND. ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION' ENGINE. APPLIoATIoN FILED 0021.19, 1908, HENEWBD 11011115.1911y 1,019,856. Patented Mar112, 1912.

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ATT'Y.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ATAll/lElS LOCKE STRICKLAND, OF WESTPORT, NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA, ASSIGNOR TO HARRY RCHARDS MCLELLAN, OF ST. JOHN, CANADA.

ROTARY INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented' Mar. 12, 1912.

Application led October 19, 1908, Serial No. 458,479. Renewed November 15, 1911. Serial No. 660,470.

To all whom it may concern:

B e it known that I, Janes Looks S'rnicn- LAND, of Vestport, in thevlrovince ot' Nova tion of the machine generally, as described hereinafter in detail in the accompanying Specifications and drawings.

In the drawings, Figure 1 'is a vertical longitudinal Vsection through the engine. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 2N2, Fig. 1. Fig. l is a transverse section througl'i the valve mem ber taken on substantially the line 3--3, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a perspective View ot' the valve member'. Fig. G is a cross section of the cylinder on the line 4 4, Fig. l. Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line 5--5, Fig. 4.

In the drawings, like letters orf reference indicate corresponding parts in each ligure.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a base of suitable :t'orm with standards 10 and 11 thereon., having bearing boxes 12 and 13 at the top thereof. The bearing box .13 journals the main rotating sha't't B, to the inner end of which the rotating trame C secured. This lrame is formed with a plurality ot' radial arms 14 having bearings 1.5 at ltheir extremities, which journal the trun` nions 16 on one side, to a plurality ot' cylinders D, there being four cylinders in the embodiment illustrated.

The trunnions 17 on the opposite side of t'he cylinders are journaled :in bearings 1.8 formed on the extremities ot' the arms 19, ot a. spider E, which is rotatably mounted on the fixed shaft F supported trom the bearing 12 and having a crank pin 20 .formed on its inner extremity. This crank piny is engaged by the bit'urcated ends 21 on the piston rods 22, the ends fitting one within the other, and the outermost end having a. sleeve 213 attached thereto. which is mounted on the crank 20, the ends oi" thc other piston rods having engagement with the outer sur face of the sleeve 23. By these means, 'a much better fit can be obtained as the sleeve 28 only engages the crank pin and the remaining bit'urcated ends on the piston rod have only a slight oscillatory movement on the sleeve. A

The pistons 24 on the ends of the piston rods are ot' the usual form, suitable packing boxes 25 being provided on the inner ends ot' the cylinders, and small vent cocks 2G on the outer end.

The explosive fluid which may be gasolcne vaporizcd by a suitable carbureter, is introduced through the pipe 27, the end of said pipe extending into a conduit 28 ina valve member G. This valve member is loosely mounted on the shaft B, and is provided vvith a conduit 28 which leads t0 the face of an adjustable disk 29, the said disk being held in position by an annular flange 30 on the valve member and being brought to and held in either of two adjusted positions by a spring locking handle 31 of usual form cooperating with stops 32 and 33. This disk 29 has an elongated, arcuate port Sil therein with which the conduit 2S communicates and against the face of the disk a rotatable member H bears formed with chambers having ports in the face thereot. which communicate with conduits 3G in radial arms 37, the outer extremities of the conduits being placed in communication with the cylinder, ashereinaftcr described.

The valve member is held against the rotary member by means of a suitable compression spring 38, bearing against the valve member and the bearing box 13.

ln order to permit of slight movement between thc valve member and the pipe 27 the pipe extends slightly into the conduit 28, and is provided with a Washer 39 of leather or other flexible material, which is adapted to be drawn against the opening of the conduit by the suction of the engine.

The extremities of the arms 37 are turned inwardly and extend into the hollow trunnions 16, the said trunnions communicating with passageways 40 cored in t-he sides of the cylinders, and which lead to the inlet ports 41 in the interior ot the cylinders. This inlet port is also connected at a Apassage-way 42 with a second port 43 slightly beyond the center of the cylinder.

in order to permit a slight outward and inward adjustment ot the ends of the'arms 37. the said ends extend slightly into the hollow trunnions and the escape of comform and providing'a packinglbox 45 at their joint.

The exhaust of vtheV cylinders is eected through the A hollow t-runnions 17, which have ports 46 on their top, with conduits 47, which are formed with al1-shaped bend at their outer extremities,

and which 'communicate at their inner ex- `tremities withan annular space 48"- in a nition takes place,

chest and this space communicates through apertures 49 with the ypassage-way 50 provided in the shaft F. The escape of the exhaust products at opposite ends of the chest l is prevented by suitable packing boxes 51 and 52.

The object of forming the outer side, is to enable the centrifugal force to hold the 'trunnion tightly against the end of the conduit, as the trunnion, during the `rotation of the cylinder, oscillates slightly and otherwise, it "would be dificult to secure a tight joint between the two.A

The ignition of the explosive mixture in the= cylinder 'is veected through suitable sparking plugs- 52 of well known construction, and suitably electrically connected to segmental rings 53 and 54 adapted to co-act with-brushes and '56 to make the necessary electrical connections, as well known in this type of engine.

In order to vary the moment at which iga handle 57 may be provided for adjusting the position of `the brush 56.

n operation the cycle in each cylinder is the same. Thevalve controlling the inlet port 35 isarranged to open as'soon as the piston shall have moved outwardly sufficiently to close the exhaust port and the port 43, the two ports being substantially at the same point, but theexhaust port being, a slight distance farther outwardly. Thev port 35 is then opened and the combustion flows in through the passage way Q8, the port 35, conduit 36, passage way 4Q and inlet port 4l. Before the piston starts to move 1nv Wardly the port-35 will have moved pastV the'port 34, cutting o the supply of combustible. lThe piston then starts to" move inwardlyl and ignition is made to take place. This propels the piston inwardly with great torce and as soon as the piston passes the exhaust port, the unconsumed products of combustion flow out and .immediately after the exhaust port opens the piston will have passed the port 43 and the mixture of combustible which has been compressed on ythe rear side ci the piston will flow around through the passage way 42 into the outer' communicating the connection between the conduit 47 and the trunnion on Loiaeee side of the cylinderand will gradually ill the same as the exhaustv products pass out. The vsecond outward movement of the piston will again close the exhaust'port and the port 43 and the combustible will be compressed in the outer end of the cylinder and ignited again.

It may be vobserved that the movement of the piston outwardly is made sufficiently quickly to prevent any of. the combustible flowing out of the exhaust portwhen both ports 43 and 46 are in communication` with each other.

When. it is desiredv to reverselthe engine,y the plate 29 is turnedito about one eighth' of a revolution, and this will' cause the port 34 to be disposed in the reversed position with respect to the ports 35 so that the combustible will be allowed to flow in at the proper moment for the reverse operation.

What I clann as my invention is 1. In a rotary-internal combustion engine and in combination, a xed crank pin, a plu'- rality of piston rods pivoted thereon having pistons on their extremities, substantially radially disposed cylinders'inclosing the pistons and being formed with a trunnion on each side, one of said trunnions on each cylinder being formed with an exhaust port opening through the trunnion toward thel outer end of the cylinder, a rotatable element having bearings thereon adapted to journal those trunnions on the cylinders in which the exhaust ports are formed, said bearings having ports therethrough on the outer side adapted to register with the ports in the trunnions, whereby the centrifugal force will tend to hold the trunnions 1n tight l contact on their outer Aside with the bearings, exhaust conduits in communication with the ports through the bearings, meansfor rotatably supporting the opposite side of each cylinder to that which said rotatable member supports, and means for supplying the. cylinders with' explosive fluid and igniting the same at-the proper moment.

2. In a rotary internal combustion engine, the combination with the rotating cylinders and combustible supply pipes connected thereto, of a rotatable member having a plurality of compartments therein, each being placed in communication with one of the' supply pipes and beingprovided with a suitable port in the side, held against the rotatable member having an elongated outlet port adapted to register with the ports in ing a suitable inlet port on the opposite side, and a supply pipe extending into the .inlet port and having a exible washer 39 thereon adjacent to the port.

a valve member spriutg j the compartments and havn In a rotary internal combustionengine,v

the combination withthe rotating cylinders and combustible supply vpipes connected' thereto, of a rotatable member having a plurality of compartments therein, each being placed in communication with one of the supply pipes and being provided with a suitable port in the side, a valve member spring held against the rotatable member and formed on the face` with an adjustable disk 29 having an arcuate port therein adapted to register, during certain parts of the revoluton, with the ports in the compartments, and means for supplying the valve member With combustible fluid. v

4.' In a rotary internal combustion engine, and in combination, a plurality of rotatable cylinders, combustible supply pipes communicating with the cylinders and having telescopic packed joints intermediate of their y lengths, a rotatable member formed with-a plurality of chambers, with which the inner ends of the supplyl pipes communicate, the said chambers being each formed with an inlet port, and a combustible supply member having an elongated port therein adapted to communicate with the ports in the chambers, during certain parts of their revolution.

In witness whereof l have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two Witnesses. JAMES LOCKE STRICKLAND. Witnesses:

E. A. PAYsoN, F. Cousins. 

